Hey, y'all! Is there anything more delicious than southern fried shrimp? Making these at home couldn't be easier. The best part? Fried shrimp is incredibly versatile, working in a plethora of dishes.

Southern Fried Shrimp

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Southern Fried Shrimp Ingredients

• 1 lb. raw large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tail removed
• 2 c. buttermilk
• 1 tbsp. cajun or Old Bay seasoning
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. paprika
• vegetable oil for frying

How to Make Southern Fried Shrimp

1. Thoroughly rinse shrimp and drain any excess water.
2. In a bowl stir together buttermilk and tablespoon of seasoning, either Cajun or Old Bay, add shrimp, cover, and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
3. In a pie plate or shallow bowl stir together flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until thoroughly combined.
4. Prepare two cookie sheets with cooling racks on top of each.
5. In a large Dutch oven or cast-iron pan, add 1-2 quarts of vegetable oil, oil needs to be at least 1 ½ inches deep.  Using a kitchen thermometer, heat oil to 375 degrees on medium high heat.
6. While oil is heating, coat shrimp.  Drain off buttermilk and coat in seasoned flour and place coated shrimp on one of the prepared cookie sheets.  Having all shrimp breaded before frying begins makes for an easier workflow.
7. When oil is heated, fry shrimp in batches of 6-8 for 2 minutes, or until fully cooked.  Carefully remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place fried shrimp on the second prepared cookie sheet to drain any excess oil. Enjoy!

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

1. Leftover fried shrimp can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.  To reheat, place on a cookie sheet in a single layer and heat in an oven at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until heated through.
2. To peel and devein shrimp, cut a slit along the back of the shrimp, peel off shell and remove the mud vein.  Remove the tail and rinse thoroughly.
3. To thaw frozen shrimp, place shrimp in a bowl and add cool tap water.  Let shrimp set for 5 minutes, then run shrimp under cool tap water until completely thawed.
4. To make buttermilk, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to 2 cups of milk, stir and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, then use as directed.

Other Recipes You'll Love

1. Fried Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich
2. Crab Brunch Casserole Bake
3. Mediterranean Shrimp

Southern Fried Shrimp Recipe

Southern Fried Shrimp

JC Phelps

Experience southern comfort with my easy-to-make Southern Fried Shrimp recipe — crispy, flavorful, and irresistibly seasoned!

5 from 33 votes

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Prep Time 35 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 4 servings

Calories 508 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 lb. raw large shrimp peeled, deveined, and tail removed
• 2 c. buttermilk
• 1 tbsp. cajun or Old Bay seasoning
• 2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. black pepper
• ½ tsp. garlic powder
• ½ tsp. paprika
• vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

 

• Thoroughly rinse shrimp and drain any excess water.
• In a bowl stir together buttermilk and tablespoon of seasoning, either Cajun or Old Bay, add shrimp, cover, and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
• In a pie plate or shallow bowl stir together flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika until thoroughly combined.
• Prepare two cookie sheets with cooling racks on top of each.
• In a large Dutch oven or cast-iron pan, add 1-2 quarts of vegetable oil, oil needs to be at least 1 ½ inches deep.  Using a kitchen thermometer, heat oil to 375 degrees on medium high heat.
• While oil is heating, coat shrimp.  Drain off buttermilk and coat in seasoned flour and place coated shrimp on one of the prepared cookie sheets.  Having all shrimp breaded before frying begins makes for an easier workflow.
• When oil is heated, fry shrimp in batches of 6-8 for 2 minutes, or until fully cooked.  Carefully remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place fried shrimp on the second prepared cookie sheet to drain any excess oil. Enjoy!

Notes

• Leftover fried shrimp can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.  To reheat, place on a cookie sheet in a single layer and heat in an oven at 350 degrees for 7-8 minutes or until heated through.
• To peel and devein shrimp, cut a slit along the back of the shrimp, peel off shell and remove the mud vein.  Remove the tail and rinse thoroughly.
• To thaw frozen shrimp, place shrimp in a bowl and add cool tap water.  Let shrimp set for 5 minutes, then run shrimp under cool tap water until completely thawed.
• To make buttermilk, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to 2 cups of milk, stir and allow to sit for 2-3 minutes, then use as directed.

Nutrition

Calories: 508kcalCarbohydrates: 97gProtein: 16gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 605mgPotassium: 303mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 218IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 157mgIron: 6mg

Keyword fried shrimp, southern fried shrimp

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My best,

JC